


Operation: Intervention

by MadameMayorRM



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-05-31 23:19:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6491503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameMayorRM/pseuds/MadameMayorRM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The whole town of Storybrooke sees something that Emma and Regina seem to be missing-they are in love. After several attempts to help them along in their romance, the town calls them in for an Intervention. "Nothing but trouble, Mills. Same to you, Swan."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation: Intervention

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I know many of you are wondering why I have been writing other stories when I need to update Pictures Of You... all I can say is, take it up with my muse. ;)
> 
> This story was inspired by and is therefore dedicated to the lovely @solosolooo on Twitter. She posted an idea on her timeline that caught my interest. I really hope this meets your expectation for the story.
> 
> Shout out to my girl Jenn. She is always so good to read and critique my work. And by critique I mean tell me I'm awesome and encourage me to post, lol.
> 
> There are a couple songs listed in a section of this very long one shot that I recommend you look up if you haven't heard them. I will list in the end notes info to help you find them.
> 
> Please leave a comment or drop me a message if you enjoy this story. I appreciate each one so much. Also follow me on twitter @LP_EQ_RM or on tumblr as madamemayorrm.

“Then we are all in agreement?” Snow addressed the crowd of people packed into the community room at Town Hall.  “All in favor of enacting Operation: Intervention signify by raising your hand.”

The vote was purely for show.  Every hand in the room was raised in support of Henry’s aptly named plan.  Nobody— _nobody_ —wasn’t in favor of this.  For the better part of five years, the former Evil Queen and the Savior had been doing a long dance together while the denizens of Storybrooke stood by and helplessly watched.

At first it was awful.  The two women hated each other.  They were mortal enemies.  There was palpable tension in the air whenever they were in the same room… hell, the same building.  It was intense, to say the least.  A select few had insisted that there was something more to the aggressive behavior, the biting insults and the constant invasions of personal space than pure hatred.  The Queen had actively tried to murder Snow White for most of her life and had never, ever, not even once looked like she was wavering between killing her or kissing her.  That was unique to their fair-haired Sheriff.  But most people dismissed the idea of it both before _and_ after the curse was broken.  No way were they anything but nemeses.

Then it got better.  They seemed to learn to tolerate each other for Henry’s sake.  A larger group of folks then began to take note of the way they behaved around each other.  They were sort of friends, maybe.  Yet they worried about each other’s safety like it was their job.  Emma ran frantic all over town looking for Regina when she was with the so called Queens of Darkness.  Regina had that little hitch in her voice when Emma came in her office after not checking in—more asking than demanding to know where she had been.  Still, for most it seemed a stretch to suggest they could ever cross the hurdle into real friendship, let alone to something more.

And then it happened.  Actions certainly spoke louder than words that night.  With _I love you_ still hanging in the air as Emma proclaimed verbally her care for the pirate, she raced headlong into what was certain destruction to ensure Regina’s happy ending.  And little more than six weeks later, Regina had gladly marched her designer ass right into literal, actual, fire and brimstone having, Hades ruling, lost soul bearing hell to see that Emma had her own happy ending.  The talk around town after that had solidified it.  Those two dorks were in love and the shame of it all they had no idea.

Soon after their return from the red tinged domain of Underbrooke, things began to wrap up pretty nicely.  It seemed as if the universe or kismet or some power beyond magic was moving the chess pieces to set up the Queen and her White Knight to find happiness together at last.  In a rather heroic and sickeningly honorable move to protect Regina, Robin of Locksley had met his fate and died.  And the seemingly unsinkable Killian Jones—freshly revived from his first death which seemed to be only mostly dead but not completely dead—slipped on the deck of his beloved Jolly Roger in a rum-soaked stupor and cracked his pretty head on the corner of a shipping crate.  Apparently more permanent than a sword to the gut, the crate sent him signed, sealed and delivered to wherever completely dead and mostly redeemed pirates go after they escape the Underworld.

Regina for her part rebounded quickly.  No one was surprised by this.  She was a survivor.  She had suffered far worse than the untimely demise of her fairy-dust predicted soul mate.  Still, despite her seeming quick recovery of the loss, she still seemed oblivious to her attraction, affection and apparent love for another blonde former thief… Emma Swan.

The Sheriff was a little harder nut to crack.  She mourned the loss of Captain Hook with a fervency no one could have seen coming.  But the whispered reality behind closed doors was that her grief was more likely some sort of misplaced guilt and certainly personal frustration.  Every guy she showed interest in seemed to wind up dead.  It wasn’t long however before the savior moved on, the crying came less often and soon enough the pirate was little more than a distant memory.  Too bad the tears she’d cried hadn’t cleared her emerald eyes of whatever was keeping her from seeing what was clear to the rest of the town—she was in love with Regina Mills.

When a very frustrated Henry Swan-Mills (as he had been called since spending that year in New York with memories of a life as a Swan) had dropped his satchel and declined a free chocolate shake at Granny’s Diner a few days ago, expressing his angst and irritation in a way only a teenage boy could, everyone knew it was time to stop being the audience to this fairytale in the making and do something. 

But what?

It took less than a day for Henry to supply the answer.  He had been working on a plan since they had sent Robin Hood and fake-Marian across the town line even before Maleficent had been resurrected and Cruella had squealed her tires into town.  Naturally, living part time with each of his mother’s had given Henry a front row seat to the reality of it all.  He’d known they were in love and he’d wanted to do something to help it along and had been keeping a surprisingly detailed and illustrated journal just in case the opportunity presented itself to start the ball rolling. 

Today was the day.

Henry had put on his best puppy dog face and convinced his moms to take him two towns over for a family day.  They’d eat someplace that wasn’t Granny’s.  They’d shop someplace that wasn’t Modern Fashion.  They’d laugh and play and be together.  The women had admittedly needed very little prodding to get them to cross the town line, scroll in hand and head out with their son in tow.  Anything to be together… even if they weren’t saying it.  Idiots.

As soon as the coast was clear, Snow had activated the emergency phone tree they used at school to call a meeting at Town Hall.  It hadn’t taken long to gather the entire population into the large room.  It had taken even less time to convince them to meddle in other people’s affairs.  Small towns are all the same—fairytale residents or not.  Charming, Ruby and Archie had helped organize the citizens into groups and assigned tasks.  Some, like Granny, had bigger roles to play simply by way of being more frequently in the company of the couple.  Others had really no responsibilities other than to hope and wish and pray and stay out of the way.

Now, with the perfunctory show of hands out of the way, a pledge was recited swearing them all to secrecy.  Snow wasn’t one hundred percent sure the pledge was necessary but Henry had insisted so they had acquiesced. 

_I do solemnly swear that I will do my best to help make Operation: Intervention a success.  I further swear that I will not, under any circumstances—including but not limited to bodily harm and threat of death—tell Henry’s moms what is going on.  I will carry this secret to my grave._

Nobody had laughed when the oath was said.  For one, bodily harm and threat of death were very real possibilities when it came to Regina 1.0.  Sure Regina 2.0 wouldn’t likely murder anyone… but just in case.  The oath was acceptable to them as well because everybody knew—though no one was saying—that Snow White couldn’t keep a secret to save her life.  She needed the pledge most of all.

Charming put his arm about his pixie-haired wife’s shoulders as the last of the townsfolk filed out, game plans in hand.  “You were great, sweetheart.  Do you think this will work?”

“It has to, David.” Snow turned and laid her head against her husband’s chest.  “And if all else fails, we will just have to enact Henry’s back-up plan—an _actual_ intervention.” 

 

**BELLE FRENCH**

Belle watched nervously as Henry led both his mother’s into the library.  He had a project to do for school that somehow required them both to take him there to check out some books.  Belle wondered what her smooth operator of a grandson had said to make that happen.

She grimaced and shook her head.  She did not relish the idea of being anyone’s grandma yet… not even a great kid like Henry.

She knew of course why they were there even if they didn’t.  Henry wanted her to do something to get their minds rolling in the right direction.  She had her script at the ready.  This was do or die time.

“So what brings Henry’s two mom’s out to the library this afternoon?”  Her sweet voice lilted in the otherwise quiet—and empty—room.

“Uh, you know.  Kid’s got a project or something.”  Emma smiled but the look in her eyes told Belle she wasn’t quite sure what she was doing there.

“And how are you today, Bookworm?”  The name that had once been an insult had somehow morphed into a term of endearment as Regina and Belle had sorted through their issues.

The former queen sidled up beside Emma, their shoulders brushing, and dusted off some invisible something from the sheriff’s arm.  Belle resisted the urge to roll her eyes.  Could they really be that oblivious?

“I’m well, thank you for asking.  Just prepping some new books to shelve.  We’ve gotten a new genre in stock over the last week or so.  I should think the two of you would be quite interested.”  With that, she held out a book to each of them.

Regina glanced half-heartedly at the back cover.  Something about two women in 1950’s New York.  She didn’t read too much, just smiled and turned it over in her hand.  “ _The Price of Salt?_ Hmmm.  I haven’t heard of it, but I am always looking for something new to read.”

Emma looked carefully at the front cover of hers— _Above All, Honor—_ for a moment and laid it atop Regina’s.  “Yeah, sure.  I haven’t had much time to read a real book lately.  Thanks.”

The ladies left the books there until Henry had his stacked high.  Regina checked them all out since Emma had a past due fine on her account and the little family was gone.  Belle shook her head.  She wasn’t one for meddling but she had to admit… those two women needed all the help they could get.

_Later that night…_

Emma was reading with wide eyes when her phone buzzed on the night stand.  It was nearly 1 AM.  Who could be messaging her at that hour?

Regina:  Are you still up?

Emma:  Yep.  What’s wrong?

Regina:  Nothing’s wrong.  Did you read the book Belle suggested yet?

Emma: …

Regina: Hello?

Emma: …

Regina: Oh for god’s sake, Emma.  Did you read yours?

Emma:  Um… yes?  I mean, I read some of it.  A lot of it.  Most of it.  But…

Regina:  But?

Emma:  I’m just a little confused.  Did you read yours?

Regina:  Yes.  And I share your feeling of confusion.  Was yours… about… you know?

Emma:  Lesbians?  Yes.  Was yours?

Regina:  Oh god!  Yes.  At first it was just about these two women being friends but… well, I have arrived at a chapter where I can no longer deny they are far more than that.  What is yours about?

Emma:  It’s about the President’s daughter and her security chief.  They start out pretty much butting heads and getting under each other’s skin but… well, like you said.  There is no denying they are into each other.  Is yours like that?

Regina:  Not exactly.  Mine is set in the 1950’s and these women keep dancing around the obvious but the one is trapped in a marriage because of a child.  It’s complicated.  But they are, as you say, into each other.  Quite literally at this point.

There was a long pause before Regina messaged again.

Regina:  It isn’t horrible though.  Well written.  Quite a compelling story to be honest.

Emma:  Yeah.  I like mine too.  It’s interesting.  And this Blaire chick is such a bitch.  Reminds me of you when I first got to town.

Regina:  Did you just call me a bitch, Miss Swan?

Emma:  Well, I mean, if the Louboutin fits, wear it. Lol.  You weren’t exactly my biggest fan.

Regina:  I suppose you are right.  But if I was a bitch… at least I was the head bitch in charge.  ;)

Emma:  Yes, nobody is better at being a bitch than you, babe.  :D

Regina:  You better believe it.

Emma:  Nothing but trouble, Mills.

Regina:  Same to you, Swan.

Another long stretch of quiet and Emma wondered if the conversation had ended.

Regina:  Emma?

Emma:  Yeah?

Regina:  But why do you suppose Belle thought we would like these books so much?

Emma:  IDK.  Maybe she hasn’t read them yet?  I mean why on earth would she think we’d want to read lesbian romance?

Regina:  I’m sure I have no idea.  Well… it is rather late and I’d like to finish the chapter before I retire for the evening.  See you tomorrow for lunch?

Emma:  Of course.  Best part of the day.  Goodnight.

Regina:  Goodnight, dear.

Oh, yes.  These two needed all the help they could get.

**MICHAEL TILLMAN**

Regina pulled the Mercedes up in front of the mechanic’s shop. Looking up from his work, Michael new it was his turn to play the part.  He wasn’t sure just what he would say, but he had promised Henry.  So, rubbing his hands free of grease on a rag, he walked over to meet her at the door.  
  
“Can I help you with something Madam Mayor?”  
  
Regina’s face lifted into a stiff smile.  “Hello Michael. Yes, you can help me.  I think something may be wrong with my car. It's making a noise.”  
  
“What sort of noise is it making?”  Michael said looking past the brunette at her black beauty.  
  
The woman’s nose scrunched up as she thought.  “Well, it’s making a knocking noise—more like a knock… knock… and then a little grinding sound. I don't know how to describe it.  Perhaps you should drive it around and hear it for yourself.”

Michael smiled at her description of the noise.  “OK.  I suppose I can do that.  What did Emma say about it?”  
  
“Emma?”  Regina looked confused by his question.  
  
“Yes. I assume she had a look at it before you brought it in.”  Michael tried to keep his expression neutral though his heart was racing.  It wasn’t easy bringing Emma up in conversation without seeming suspicious.

Regina tilted her head to the side and leveled a wary look at Michael. “Well… actually, yes, the sheriff did have a look at it. But I'm not sure how that's relevant.”  
  
“Oh, I don't mean anything by it Regina—I mean Madam Mayor. I just assumed she would look at it.  She sorta knows about cars and… well, I mean it is obvious she cares about you.”  
  
Regina's wide eyed expression made him add, “And about your safety.”  
  
Regina studied him for a long moment before continuing.  “As I said, Emma did have a look at it and she wasn’t able to figure out what was wrong.  She suggested I bring it to you.”

Michael smiled now.  “Yeah, to be honest, she did call this morning saying that you may be coming by but she didn’t want you to know.  Something about you wanting to take care of it yourself.”  
  
“Did she?”  Regina’s eyes brightened at the very idea.  
  
“Yep. Said it was making a noise, described it to me and said you'd probably be coming by.”  
  
Michael couldn’t help but see the color bloom across Regina’s cheeks.  Even if she had been the embodiment of evil in another life, she was remarkably beautiful.  No more so than now, with love in her eyes and fondness in her voice as she went on.  “How kind of her. She's a good friend.”  
  
“Friend? Yeah… ok.  Sure.  Friend.”  Michael was mostly speaking to himself.  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Just saying yeah, she’s a good friend. Anyway I'll get on this and I'll call you at the office when I know what the issue is.  It may be something I can fix today. But it may not be so you will probably need a ride…”

“If it takes longer, no worries.  Sheriff Swan has already made arrangements to give me a ride home.  But, I would still appreciate a call just the same.”  With that Regina turned and headed back toward the street.

“You're lucky, you know.”  Michael called after her.  
  
“Pardon?” Regina turned back to face him.  
  
“I said you're lucky… to have her, I mean. As a, uh… as a _friend._ She really cares about you.”  With that, Michael turned back to the job he had been working on before she arrived.

Regina shook her head as she headed back to her office, wondering at the conversation.  Folks were certainly behaving strangely as of late.

**MOE FRENCH**

“I’m sorry I called you down here for nothing, Sheriff.  I had no idea Tony had already made the deposit.”  Moe French loomed large behind the counter in his shop, Game of Thorns.  He had been eager to do something to help the cause with Operation: Intervention so he had suggested to the Sheriff that perhaps someone had robbed him when indeed his assistant Tony had merely taken the till and made a deposit at the Storybrooke Savings and Loan.

“Hey, no problem Moe.  I’m just glad everything is ok.”  Emma stood in her official Sheriff Swan stance with her feet slightly apart, thumbs hooked into her back pockets.

“All the same, I feel bad for dragging you down here under false pretense.  Let me do something to make it up to you.  A bouquet perhaps?”  The man nodded to a new shipment of red roses in the cooler.

“Nah.  It’s fine really.  I needed a break anyway.  I’ve been hip deep in reports all morning.  I’m behind and the mayor will be breathing down my neck if I don’t get them in today.  Now I’ve got an excuse, so really, you did me a favor.”  Emma flashed her best smile and turned to go.

“Wait!  I… uh… I really insist that you let me do _something,_ Emma.  Maybe I can send a bouquet to her majesty and smooth things over about your reports?”  Moe was already reaching into the cooler and pulling out the vase of roses.

“Really Moe, its fine.  You don’t have to do that.  Just keep paying your taxes so I can keep drawing a salary.”  She laughed then and he joined her.  She was quite lovely when she laughed he noted.  She went on speaking then.  “Besides, if I were to send Regina… I mean, Mayor Mills flowers, I would send her orchids… not roses.”

“Oh?  Doesn’t she like roses?”  Moe was intrigued.

“I mean, sure, who doesn’t like roses?  But to be honest, they are a little… cliché for her I think.  No offense.”  Emma held her palms out in apology.

“None taken.  So the roses are cliché but the orchids?”

“Well, I know she likes orchids.  And there is just something about them, you know?  They seem like her.  They can be temperamental but they are beautiful and exotic and… I dunno.  Unique.  Special.  Something.  So if I sent her flowers I’d definitely send them because they suit her.”  Emma’s cheeks flushed as she rambled on about the flowers under Moe’s scrutiny.  She hadn’t meant to say so much.  Besides, she wasn’t actually sending anyone flowers anyway.  “Well, ok then.  If that’s all you need, I’ll just be getting back to the office.”

Moe smiled as the woman slipped out the door and toward her cruiser.  He looked at Tony and the other man nodded without saying a word.  Poor Emma.  In love and clueless.

 

**MALEFICENT**

“I am so glad we could do this, Mal.  Thanks for suggesting it.”  Regina slipped off her heels and curled her legs onto the couch.  Very few people got to see her relaxed but her oldest friend was certainly one of them.

“I’m glad too.  This town isn’t exactly crawling with folks wanting to sip wine and swap stories with someone on the path back from villainy.”  The blonde woman chuckled and set aside her near empty glass.  In truth, she had hoped to spend some time with Regina eventually because things did get boring when you were a dragon living in Maine, but tonight was more about Henry’s Operation than Mal’s social life.  “You must’ve been so lonely while you were redeeming yourself in the town’s eyes.”

 

The brunette shrugged and sat her glass down too.  “To be honest, there was so much going on back then I didn’t have a lot of time to be lonely.”

 

“Well, and you had Emma.”  Mal carefully watched the woman on the sofa beside her.  She didn’t want to push.

 

“Emma?  Well, she certainly was always around… whether I liked it or not.”  Laughter spilled from her like music from another room. “But I wouldn’t say we were friends initially.  It took time.”

 

“What do you mean?”  Maleficent turned to more fully face her companion.

 

“I just mean we started out with me trying my damnedest to get her to leave town—I even tried to kill her—but over time that desire to be rid of her lessened.  I got to know her and I had a respect for her albeit a begrudging one.  She was hell bent on protecting Henry no matter what the cost and that spoke to the mama bear in me.”  Regina paused as if in thought.

 

“Go on.  I’m listening.”  Mal encouraged.

 

“There really isn’t much to tell.  Between Peter Pan and my insane sister and all the other threats against the town and us individually, we somehow learned to trust each other, to have each other’s backs.  Somehow she has become my best friend.  We make a good team.”

 

“A good team?  In what way?”

 

Regina wrinkled her forehead in thought.  “Well, we are good together magically.  We complement each other in a way.  Where I am lacking, she makes up the difference.  But if you ever tell her that I will singe the scales off your back, Dragon.”

 

The women laughed at that and Mal held up her hands in surrender.  “My lips are sealed, little queen.”

 

There was a pause and the blonde wondered if the moment had passed.  “And of course we make a good team leading the town.  Mayor and Sheriff.  I think Emma imagines us as some throwback cop show like ‘Cagney and Lacey’, out saving the world, one monster at a time.  We have always been a good team when it comes to Henry.  At first it was awful but we found a rhythm—an understanding when it comes to parenting him.  We always present a united front, even if we quarrel about how to handle things with him behind closed doors.”

 

“And is there… anything  _else_  going on behind closed doors, Regina?”  There it was.  Mal held her breath and waited for Hurricane Regina to make an appearance.

 

Regina tilted her head to one side and looked utterly lost.  “What do you mean?  I don’t get it?”

 

“I just mean… well, you spend an awful lot of time with her and you always did have a thing for blondes.”  Mal let her voice trail off as she waved a hand through the air nonchalantly.

 

“A thing for…. Mal.  Are you serious?  Emma is my friend.”  Regina shook her head as if the older woman had said that maybe Regina should hook up with Doc.

 

The blonde said nothing, only shrugged and waited for the silence to weigh heavy on Regina again and force her to speak.

 

“I mean, sure, Emma is a very beautiful woman.  Any idiot can see she is attractive.  But really, we are just friends.  Besides, I don’t think people in this realm are as…  _enlightened_  about such things as they were in the Enchanted Forest.”  Regina drank down the rest of her wine in one very unladylike gulp.

 

“Meaning?”  Mal smiled, pouring her another glass.

 

Regina nodded her thanks.  “ _Meaning_ that Emma was raised here and have you ever seen her show any interest in the fairer sex?  Seems to me she only dates men… scruffy, bearded, leather-clad men.  But regardless… we are just friends.”

 

“Ok.  Ok.  Sorry I brought it up.”  Mal knew when to leave well enough alone.  “So tell me, did you see that imbecile fairy last week?  She actually thought she could tell me where and when I could teach my daughter to transform.  Unreal.”

_Later that night…_

Emma:  Are you home safe?

Regina:  Got in about ten minutes ago.

Emma:  Ok.  Just checking.  I thought you might call for a lift home since I’m sure you didn’t drive home after drinking wine all night with Mal.

Regina:  And risk getting caught by the town sheriff?  Not a chance.  She’s a stickler about that sort of thing. ;)

Emma:  Alright, alright.  I know I should know better but… how’d you get home?  Magic is a dangerous choice if you’ve been drinking.

Regina:  Stop worrying.  You sound like you know who…

Emma:  Oh no you did not just call me Snow White!  That was low, Regina.

Regina:  I never named names, dear. You came to that conclusion all on your own.

Emma:  You are trouble, Mills.

Regina:  Same to you, Swan.

There was a long pause before another message pinged from Emma.

Emma:  So… you walked home or…

Regina:  Lily brought me home.  She drove me and waited until I was inside.  I left my car at their house.  And now, I am about to crawl into bed and get some sleep.  I did have a bit too much to drink and I’m going to regret it tomorrow.  And this has been an odd day.

Emma:  Odd how?

Regina:  It’s nothing I guess.  Mal just asked me what we do behind closed doors.

Emma:  She what!?

Regina:  It was strange.  But you know how she is, always trying to make mischief.  I assured her we are just friends.  But still.  It was odd.  Like the other day with Michael.  And what you said about Moe sending me flowers.  People are acting weird lately.

Emma:  Yeah.  They are.  Do you think it’s some sort of magic thingy we should be worried about?  Some new curse making people act nuts?  Like the Shattered Sight one except even more ridiculous. ;)

Regina:  No, silly.  Sometimes I think I have two children to raise instead of just our son, lol.  But now I really must get to sleep.

Emma:  Ok.  Well, sleep tight.  Call me when you are ready to get your car tomorrow and I’ll drive you.

Regina:  Ok.  Sounds like a good plan.  Now you get some sleep too.  I can’t have my Sheriff carrying a gun around town sleep deprived.

Emma:  Night, Gina.

Regina:  Goodnight, dear.

 

**SNOW WHITE**

Snow took a deep breath and took in the warming, calming vapor from her mug of hot tea.  From all the reports she’d been getting, people had really been trying to do their best to help with Operation: Intervention.  In fact, tonight the whole town was going to get involved.

They’d all been warned to stay off the roads from Mifflin to Main Streets and no one was allowed within a mile of Granny’s.  Everyone knew that the Sheriff and the Mayor always brought Henry to Granny’s for dinner on Friday nights after his soccer game.  The same would hold true tonight… with a few minor changes.

Snow took a sip of the warm and comforting drink.  That was tonight.  But she still had a little role to play in the game today.  She was meeting Emma for an early lunch.  It was Emma’s custom to meet Regina at precisely 12:15 PM for lunch every Friday.  They met other days for lunch but Friday was a long standing date.  Most folks didn’t even bother asking either woman for lunch or meetings or emergency calls for missing dogs and cats up trees on Friday afternoons.

It was just a given that the two women would be seated in the third booth from the door, eating a kale salad with grilled chicken, a cheeseburger with everything and two root beers.  Everyone knew that they would talk quietly, too quiet for even Ruby’s wolf-ears to hear over the din of the lunch crowd.  Everyone knew that peppered throughout the lunch visit Emma would say or do something that would make the air dance with Regina’s melodic laugh and anyone brave enough to glance over would see emerald eyes sparkle at the sound. 

But this Friday, Snow had asked Emma to meet her at 11:45 AM for a quick cup of tea.  She’d ordered herself an egg salad sandwich to arrive just as Emma did.  Emma had resisted the invitation without mentioning Regina, but Snow had used an unnatural amount of mother’s guilt to convince Emma to come to lunch before her lunch.  It was some over-do Mother-Daughter time… or so she had said to her daughter.  In truth, she had some seeds to plant, some buttons to push and this was the best time she could think to do it.

“Here you go.  One egg salad on wheat toast.”  Ruby eased the sandwich down in front of her friend.

“Thanks, Ruby.  Is everything all set for tonight?”  Snow smiled up at the brunette.

“Everything is ready to go on our end.  If Henry does his part, and I know he will, then we will have one romantic evening tonight.”  Ruby glanced up at the sound of the bell over the door.  It was Emma.  “Hi Ems.  Want me to bring you a root beer?”

“Hey Rubes.  Yeah, just a root beer for now.  I’ll still have lunch with Regina later.”  The sheriff swaggered over and sat down in her usual spot, third booth from the door.  However, the brunette across from her wasn’t her usual company.  “Hi, mom.  How’s your day been so far?”

Snow smiled at her daughter as she reached over and pinched the corner of her mother’s sandwich.  Her heart was full of dreams and hopes for this woman before her who had once been a wailing infant in her arms.  She couldn’t believe that her dreams and hopes also included Regina, but they did.  Snow was no expert on… well, anything really, but she knew love when she saw it.  And this was love.  Maybe even True Love.  It had to be.

Emma pulled the other woman from her thoughts.  “Am I meant to guess how your day has been or are you going to tell me?”  She winked and pinched another corner off the sandwich as Ruby sat her drink down.

Snow shook her head and swatted Emma’s hand away.  “No, you aren’t meant to guess.  I was lost in thought.  And if you want an egg salad sandwich then Ruby can bring you one.”  The pixie-haired woman giggled and took a bite of her sandwich with a wink.

“Geez,” Emma said with a mock pout on her face, “denied food by my own mother!  What a world!”

“You said yourself you will be eating in just a bit with Regina.  So… don’t spoil your appetite pilfering from me.”  Snow took another nibble of her sandwich and went on.  “To answer your question, my day has been ok so far.  How about yours, sweetheart?”

Emma drank a long swallow from her root beer and seemed to think about it before replying.  “I guess, ok.  Nothing major happening which is good.  I’m happy to have some normalcy, you know?”

“Oh yes.  I do.  Any good gossip to dish?”  Snow wiggled her eyebrows and took a sip of her tea.

“Mom!  I do not gossip.”  Emma said with an indignant smirk.  Then she lowered her head conspiratorially.  “But if I did, I would tell you that Leroy has been seen coming and going from the convent quite a bit lately.  Either the dwarf found religion or he’s back to trying to convince Astrid to leave the church and sail away with him.”

Snow raised her eyebrows and giggled, ducking her head low to match her daughters.  “I heard she was thinking seriously about going but she’s enjoying his begging so much she hasn’t told him yet.”

Now both women laughed.  It was silly small town gossip, but it was nice to have this small moment together.  Mother and daughter just enjoying each other’s company.  Snow felt a pang of guilt knowing she had an ulterior motive but the ends justified the means, she told herself.  Emma would thank her.

Ducking her head again, Snow whispered to her daughter again.  “I heard something else, but I don’t want to tell you unless you promise to keep it to yourself.”

“I promise. Scouts honor.”  Emma held up her hand oddly enough in a Boy Scouts salute and waited for the next bit of gossip her mother had to share.

“Well,” Snow began.  She knew she had Emma right where she wanted her by the look in her eyes.  “I heard from a reliable source that a certain mayor we all know has been seen coming and going with a certain blonde a lot lately.”

“What?”  Emma said, no longer whispering.

Snow went in for the kill.  “Uh huh.  In fact, someone suggested they’d been seen leaving each other’s homes at all hours.”  Snow wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis.

“Who said that?”  Emma’s voice had a less friendly edge than their gossip about Leroy.

“It doesn’t matter _who,_ Emma.  It’s gossip.  That’s what makes it gossip.  You don’t name sources.”  Snow sat up and took another bite of her sandwich.

Emma’s face was red.  Snow knew this little tidbit would make her jealous.  Of course, it wasn’t true.  It was pretty well known that Regina and Mal were friends, but they seldom spent time together.  Snow knew they had gotten together for drinks the night before as part of the Operation but Emma didn’t need to know it was a fib.  It was, after all, gossip.  And it served the greater good.

“Oh, I think it does matter who.  Why are you telling me this at Granny’s of all places?”  Emma raked a hand down her face and glanced around to see if anyone else was listening.

“Well, we were sharing gossip.  I thought that was a juicy piece.  Besides, no one would blame her for spending time with Mal.  There were rumors in the Enchanted Forest that—“

“Mal?  And Regina?”  Emma said in a tone Snow couldn’t quite put a name to.  “That was over long before she ever even cast the curse, mom.  There isn’t anything between them now.”

“You _knew_ about them in the Forest?”  Snow had no idea that Regina would share something like _that_ with her daughter.

“She’s my best friend, mother.  Of course I knew about that.  And you shouldn’t be going around spreading gossip about her.  It isn’t nice.”  Emma took a drink from her root beer bottle and frowned.

Snow knew that look.  Jealousy.  Pure and simple.

“I’m sorry, honey.  I wasn’t trying to be mean.  I thought you’d be happy for Regina.  It’s been so long since she really had someone in her life who could understand her and care for her.”  Snow was putting it on thick.

“She does have someone who understands her.  Me.  And she has plenty of people who care.”  Emma seemed to realize her behavior was odd for ‘just friends’ and took a deep breath.  “Besides, your gossip can’t be correct or I would know about it.  Regina tells me everything.”

Just then the bell sounded above the door announcing the arrival of their topic of conversation.  The brunette smiled one of her 1000 watt smiles at Emma and a lesser one to Snow as she made her way to them.  Someone at the next table stopped Regina to ask her about an upcoming road maintenance bond being brought to a vote and she paused giving Snow time for one last word as she stood to leave.

“Well, she certainly looks happy today.  Something… or someone is certainly putting a twinkle in her eyes.  We’ll talk later.  Bye sweetheart.”

“Yeah.  Bye Mom.”  Emma said turning to watch her mother go.

“What happened to Snow?  She needn’t have left on my account.”  Regina slipped into her usual spot across from the blonde.

“It’s nothing.  Just like we said last night.  People are weirder than usual lately.  And that’s saying something for this town.”

 

**GRANNY’S DINER**

If Emma or Regina noticed that the streets of Storybrooke were unusually empty on the short drive from Mifflin to the diner, neither said anything.  Henry was quietly seated in the back, a duffel beside him.  His soccer game had gone well—his team won—and then he had worked his own special brand of magic on his mothers.

_“Moms!  Did you see me?  I almost scored a goal.”  Henry ran up to the women on the sideline._

_“Yes, we saw you sweetheart.  You looked wonderful out there tonight.”  Regina beamed._

_“Yeah, kid.  Good job.”  Emma rubbed his sweaty hair back from his forehead.  “You hungry?  Thought we’d try something different tonight and go to Granny’s.”_

_Regina laughed.  “Oh darn.  I was hoping we could go to Granny’s instead.”_

_Henry joined in the little game.  “Granny’s?  Nah.  I’m not in the mood.  Maybe we should try Granny’s tonight?”_

_The trio made their way to Emma’s yellow bug.  She had swung by and picked Regina up as she usually did after work on Friday and met Henry at the soccer field.  Emma opened her door and pushed her seat up to let Henry in but the boy stopped short, looking back to the field._

_“What is it, kid?  You forget something?”  Emma paused and studied her son._

_“No… it’s not that.  I just…”  Henry shook his head.  “It’s nothing.  Never mind.”_

_Regina took an interest now.  “No, tell us.  What is it?”_

_Henry huffed and looked back toward the remaining players at the bench again.  “It’s nothing really.  Just… some of the guys are going over to Bobby’s house for pizza and a sleepover.  They invited me but… I mean, going to Granny’s is our tradition and I… well, it doesn’t matter.  Let’s go.”_

_The boy climbed into the back seat of the car and held his breath.  He had to make this their idea or it would make them suspicious.  The two women seemed to be having a silent conversation across the roof of the bug as neither of them got in._

_Finally Emma ducked her head into the car and spoke with a smile.  “Listen kid, me and your mom don’t mind if you want to hang with the team tonight.  We can go to Granny’s any time.”_

_Regina appeared on the other side.  “Henry, you are growing up and as much as it pains me to see it happening, we don’t expect you to spend all your Friday nights with us.  Most of them… but not all of them.”  She smiled and Emma chuckled at her last remark._

_“Right.  So, if you want, we can drive you home to get some clothes and a shower and then drop you back at Bobby’s house.”  Emma smiled then over at Regina._

_“But what about you two?  What will you do?  This leaves you both with nothing to do.”  He knew he was pressing his luck but he had to make sure they followed the plan._

_Regina raised her eyebrows at him.  “Well, I am sure your mother and I can find something to fill our time.  I still need to finish knitting my old maid’s shawl and she probably has an old folks home to get back to.”_

_They all laughed then.  “I didn’t mean… ugh.  Are you still gonna go to Granny’s?”_

_Emma frowned.  “Why?  Is there something special going on?”_

_Henry hurried to cover up his almost mistake.  “Nah.  I just… I just thought maybe you could order me a slice of cherry pie to go and keep it for me at home.”  He shrugged as if this was the most obvious thing in the world._

_Emma watched him for a few minutes more.  “Ok… I’ll get you a slice of pie.  Let’s get going before you miss the pizza at Bobby’s.”_

After his shower, he had come downstairs to find his mom’s on the sofa, facing each other, legs curled underneath them, talking in hushed tones.  He felt renewed frustration that their love for each other was so hidden from their own eyes.  But, Operation: Intervention was going to fix that.  Maybe even tonight.

Now, just a block from the diner, Emma took a short detour down Poplar Street to drop Henry off at Bobby’s.  The boy was indeed having a sleepover tonight, but it too was all part of the city-wide effort to get the Mayor and the Sheriff together.  Henry ambled out of the bug and waved goodbye to his mother’s.  As soon as they pulled away from the curb he pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

“Henry says they just dropped him off and are on their way.  Is everything ready?”  Ruby called to her grandmother in the kitchen of the diner.

“I guess we are as ready as we will ever be girl.”  The older woman shouldered open the swinging door and placed a small vase of flowers on the counter.  “You think the flowers are too much?”

Ruby gazed around the room.  The usually bright diner was dimly lit now by strands of light strung about and candles on every table.  Those same tables, normally gray and chrome, were covered in crisp linen table cloths and each had a single orchid in a dish.  That had been Moe’s idea although Granny thought roses would be better.  Where the noise of the dinner crowd and the sounds of metal on metal from the kitchen would normally fill the air, instead the jukebox was set to what passed for romantic music in its limited selection.  Right now, Rod Stewart was singing “You’re in My Heart.”  It seemed oddly appropriate for the night.

“Well, at this point I think it is too late to start second guessing ourselves, Granny.  The flowers are fine.  Everything is beautiful.  If they don’t fall in love tonight—or at least realize that there is more than friendship going on here—I may well fall in love with one of them myself.”  The young wolf winked at the gray-haired woman.  Her joke lightened the mood and set them both at ease.

“I think we both know if tonight doesn’t work, Snow and Henry both are going to go to drastic measures.  But, that might not be a bad idea.  They’re a couple of hard headed, stubborn old go—“

Granny’s words were cut short with the sound of the bell.  They had arrived.

Emma held the door open for Regina but the brunette stopped short seeing the strange setting before her.  Unfortunately, Emma didn’t notice Regina’s stopping and plowed into the back of her causing them both to stumble into the room.

“Um… are we at the right place?  What’s going on here, Rubes?”  Emma looked to her friend behind the counter in confusion.

“Have we crashed someone’s romantic evening?  This looks like a private party.  Maybe we should go.”  Regina said to no one in particular as she glanced around.

Ruby rushed to the women and began gliding them to their usual booth.  “No.  No private party.  Granny and I just decided to try something new.  You know, to give the place a little classy touch once in a while for dinner service.  Do you like it?”

Emma looked around at the lights, the flowers and candles… and the very empty tables.  “Um, well, I mean… it all looks great Ruby but… uh… I mean… there’s nobody here.  Maybe your particular customer base isn’t looking for classy?”

Regina kicked Emma under the table and gave her _the look_.  Everyone in town knew _the look_.  It was the face Regina made at Emma and sometimes at Henry when they said something to embarrass her.

“I think it looks lovely, Ruby.  You and Eugenia are right to try new things.  I hope people will respond favorably to this.  Will it be every week or just monthly or…?”  Regina let her words drift off.

“We haven’t decided.  You know most people go out on Friday nights as a date night and, well, Storybrooke doesn’t have a lot of restaurants to choose from so we thought…”  The girl shrugged and smiled.  “There is a special menu tonight too.”

Ruby handed the women the new menu and slipped away.

“Well, this is… odd.” Regina said without looking up.

“Hey!  I got the look and a kick under the table—you don’t get to make comments after she’s gone.  No fair.”  Emma whined and Regina shook her head.

“There are some interesting selections on the menu tonight.  I think this would be a nice change to the normal diner fare.  Although, I don’t think Henry would enjoy it after a soccer game.”

Emma read over the menu quickly.  “No.  The kid would not be happy.  Not one cheeseburger or fried anything to be found.  Good thing he had a sleepover tonight.”

Regina looked up over the top of the menu at her companion.  She frowned for a moment before going back to reading her choices. 

“What?”  Emma said, seeing the frown.

“Nothing.  Just thinking about all the strange things going on around here lately.  This most of all.”  Regina motioned with her eyes around the room.

“Yeah,” Emma agreed.  “I’m telling you… it’s a magic thing.  It’s been too calm around here.  This is bound to be some twilight zone shit and I’m gonna have to kill an ogre or steal the wings off the bluebird of happiness for a potion or something nuts like that to get everyone back on track.”

Regina laughed softly.  “Well, I’m sure I could help you with either of those.  Though, I don’t think your mother would approve of you killing one of her bird friends just to break a spell, dear.”

Now it was Emma’s turn to laugh.  “Right?  I think I’d be better off taking my chances with a cursed Snow than one lecturing me on the preciousness of birds.”

Just then, Ruby appeared with a bottle of wine and two glasses.  When Regina and Emma looked at her questioningly.  “Compliments of the house since you are our only guests at the moment.  Do you know what you’d like to eat or should I come back?”

Emma and Regina exchanged a look and Ruby waited.

“Um, sure.  Ok.  I’ll have the chicken parm and a Caesar salad.”  Emma handed Ruby her menu and took a sip of her wine.  The wolf-waitress nodded and turned to Regina.

“I believe I will try the small filet mignon—medium rare—with a wedge salad and asparagus.”  She smiled up at the younger brunette and handed over her menu. 

As Ruby slipped into the kitchen she heard Emma whisper, “Steak?  That hardly sounds like you,” but from this distance she couldn’t make out Regina’s reply although she did hear them both chuckle quietly then.

“Well?” Granny said, looking over at her granddaughter.

Ruby frowned and shrugged one shoulder.  “I honestly don’t know.  They just seem like… always.”

Sensing some hesitation from the girl, the Widow Lucas prompted her to go on.  “But…”

“But… I dunno.  I can’t quite put my finger on it.  Maybe it’s nothing.”  She shrugged again and handed Granny their order.

The rest of the night was much the same.  As had been planned, no one dared enter the diner all night.  The two women laughed and talked but nothing seemed to be happening to indicate it was more than a normal Friday night dinner with Henry—other than his absence.

The only interesting thing that had happened at all was, perhaps fueled by a tad too much free wine, the pair had sang along with Walter Egan on “Magnet and Steel” when it came up in the rotation on the jukebox.  They’d both laughed and smiled but then, it was just like always.  Talking, eating, and smiling.  It was frustrating to no end for the two wolves in the kitchen.

“I guess we will have to tell Snow this was a flop.”  Ruby watched as Emma helped Regina down the steps and out of sight.

“Guess so,” Granny agreed.  “But it wasn’t a total waste.  I think we should do this classy night once a month at least.”

“Sure, Gran.  Whatever you say.”

 

**INTERVENTION**

_Monday morning…._

Regina:  Did you get a text from your mother?

Emma:  Well, good morning to you too.  And I’m fine, thanks for asking.

Regina: Sorry.  GM, Emma.  Now, did you get a text?

Emma:  IDK.  I just woke up to this one from you.  Hang on.

Emma:  Yep.  What do you think that’s about?

Regina:  I have no idea.  I was trying to remember when I stopped being the Mayor or the Queen or at the very least the person in charge in this town.  How is it that Snow feels like she can call a town meeting without consulting me first?

Emma:  Down, tiger.  You know she always oversteps a tad.  But my message just said there was a meeting and I should be there at 9am.  Maybe it’s about the Miner’s Day thing.

Regina:  I suppose it could be that.  But she should still ask me before she calls a meeting at City Hall.  No boundaries with her… ever.

Emma:  Try living in an apartment with no walls with her. ;)

Regina:  Not a chance.  I’m so glad you have a place of your own now.

Emma:  So I’ve heard. ;) ;)

Regina:  You are insufferable.  And immature.  And a child.

Emma:  And you love me for it.

Regina:  Don’t push your luck, Savior. 

Emma:  You are nothing but trouble, Mills.

Regina:  Same to you, Swan.

Emma:  Well, I guess if we are going to be on time for that meeting we better get moving.  Want me to pick you up?

Regina:  No, but thanks.  I have some work to get done that I left Friday night so we wouldn’t be late for Henry’s game.  I think I’ll slip by my office before your mother’s meeting and see if I can finish up.  See you in a bit.

Emma: K. I’ll bring you a coffee.

Regina:  Ok. Happy Monday. {insert epic eye roll}

Emma: ROFL.  Stop.  See you soon.

 

Regina was sitting at her desk at five of nine when Emma walked in, two coffees in hand.  “One skinny soy latte with no whip, two pumps cinnamon, one pump toffee for the lady.”

Regina took the cup and cradled it in her hands as if she could receive the caffeine she needed by osmosis.  “Thank you, Emma.  I don’t think I could have faced this day without a cup of coffee.”

“No problem.  I needed a cup too.  I’m exhausted this morning for some reason.”  The blonde stood with one hand on her hip across from the mayor.

“Oh?  Didn’t you sleep well?” Regina took a satisfying sip of her hot drink and leaned over to lock her desk so they could go.

Emma shrugged.  “I slept fine I guess.  I just didn’t get to bed until late and I had a strenuous workout earlier in the day.”

“Hmmm, well, perhaps you should take Sunday as a day of rest, dear.”  Regina’s heels tapped a staccato rhythm across the tiled floor as she made her way to the door.

“Nah,” Emma said following her along.  Patting a hand on the flat of her stomach she said, “I have to keep in shape for chasing down the bad guys.”

Regina barked out a laugh.  “And by ‘bad guys’ I assume you mean Pongo since he is the only thing I see you chasing down lately.”

“Hey!  Don’t mock me.  That dog may be old but he can really run.”  Emma nudged Regina with her elbow as they made their way downstairs to the meeting hall.

Regina’s laugh died on her lips as her hand fell on the handle of the door to the room.  “Well, let’s get this over with, shall we?”

The door opened to reveal a sight neither woman had expected.  The room was a sea of people, undulating and moving like waves with a life and mind of their own.  It appeared at first blush that everyone in town, including the children, were crowded into the space.  All the seats were full and, except for two aisles that housed a microphone stand each, every inch of floor space was covered.  At the front of the room, on the slightly raised stage, sat Snow, David and Henry.

“Henry?” Regina said, suddenly forgetting the room full of people.  “Why aren’t you at school?”

“Uh, Regina.  I think we have more pressing issues that Henry playing hooky.”  Emma glanced in awe at all the eyes on them.  “What the hell is going on?”

“Regina?  Emma?  If you would, please come to the front.  We have a seat for you here.”  Snow spoke with as much authority she had learned as a princess as she could and motioned to two vacant chairs to her left.

“Emma, what is this about?”  Regina whispered to the blonde.

“I have no idea.  I was kidding before about a new curse or something but that is starting to seem a little more plausible, don’t you think.”

“Indeed.”  Regina looked at the sheriff and the two nodded in agreement before making their way to the front and having a seat.

“I am sure you both have questions about what is going on and I am happy to answer them.  Please just come, take your seat and let me explain before you say anything.”  Snow was trying to seem confident but her right hand kept grasping at the hem of her cardigan nervously.

Emma and Regina, both too stunned and confused to offer much resistance to Snow’s whims and desires at this point, agreed with a shrug and nod to hear her out before they said anything so the woman took a deep breath and went on.

“Emma… Regina… This is an intervention.”

Snow took a moment to let that settle in.  The two women at the center of this situation looked from one another, to Snow, to the huge crowd gathered and back to each other.

Regina stood.  “An intervention?  What the hell are you talking about?”

Emma stood then and tugged Regina back a bit.  “Let me handle this, Regina.  Mom.  What is going on?  What kind of intervention?  And why is half… hell, the whole town here?”

Snow looked back at David and Henry smiling their encouragement and steeled herself to speak again.  “If you will both please have a seat.  We can all handle this like adults.  You agreed to listen to—“

“Oh for Christ’s sake, Snow White, get on with it.  What is going on here?”  Regina growled and stepped closer to the younger brunette.

“Hey,” Emma rested her hand on Regina’s arm.  “Let’s calm down.  Let her explain.  Ok?”  Emma ducked her head to make eye contact with the mayor.  The woman sighed and took a seat.  Emma turned to her mother.  “Well, this better be good.”

Snow took another deep breath and decided the best way to handle this was like ripping off a band-aid.  Just go for it.  “This is an intervention because we all—that is to say, the entire town, including your son—believe you two are in love and are woefully ignorant of the fact.  And we are sick of it.”

“In love?!”  Regina and Emma both spoke the words in a breathless sigh and looked at each other.

“Yes,” Snow plowed ahead.  “The entire community has been working non-stop for several weeks to see to it that you two could come to the realization on your own, but you have stubbornly refused to see reason.  So, we have staged this intervention.  And we hope you will listen to what we have to say.  Can you do that?”

Two sets of stunned eyes turned to Snow and merely nodded, speechless.  It was clear from Snow’s tone that any other answer would not have been accepted anyway.

“Alright.  Then we will begin.”

What followed was a steady stream of people presenting their eye witness accounts of the seemingly obvious love between the former Queen and the Savior.  From simple nameless townsfolk telling how they’d seen them looking at one another on the street to big hitters like Archie sharing his memories of them invading each other’s personal space even when they weren’t arguing, it seemed everyone had a detail to add to the story.

Finally regaining some of her footing, Regina stood and interrupted a speaker (was that her gardener?), “I think this has gone on long enough.  I am not in love with Emma.”

“Oh give me a break, Regina!”  A voice sounded from the back and the crowd parted as Jefferson made his way toward a mic.  It was a rare treat indeed to see the man out and about in town.  “Are you seriously going to stand there and say there is nothing between the two of you more than friendship?”

“Well,” Regina looked back at Emma and turned again to the crowd.  “Yes, that is exactly what I am saying.  We are friends.  Maybe like sisters.  But definitely nothing more.”

A rumble went through the crowd then as people grunted their disbelief.  Jefferson shook his head and tried again.  “You can’t be serious.  Have you forgotten, I was there that day you said you had to find a way to get the savior to ‘taste your forbidden fruit’?  I mean, if that isn’t a metaphor for lesbian sex… I honestly don’t know what is.”

A silence so heavy you could feel it fell over the crowd then as every eye went to the mayor.  Despite her defiant and regal posture, her face began to redden at his words.  It passed by pink, skipped over blush and dove head first into beet red.  It was then the savior did what saviors do and leapt to her feet.

“Hey!  Watch it.  Our kid is sitting right there.”  Emma stepped in front of Regina to give her a chance to compose herself.

“Yeah,” Leroy called from a few feet away. “This whole thing was your kid’s idea, Sheriff.”

“What?!” Regina and Emma both chimed in unison and turned toward the boy who was ducking awkwardly behind his grandparents.

“Henry, is this true?”  Regina said in a voice so tender that the townspeople on the front row gave an almost obligatory set of awww’s in response.

“Yeah?” He said, peeking around Snow.

“But… how?  Why?” Emma didn’t know what to ask first.

So the boy who was fast becoming a man cleared his throat, stood at his full height and stepped over to a microphone.

“My name is Henry and I am their son, as you all know.”  He coughed and scratched his head awkwardly. “This intervention and the last few weeks of Operation: Intervention were my idea.  Most of you only see these two in town, or at meetings, or at the diner… but I live with them.  Part time with one, then the other.  But lots of times, we are all together.  We have dinner at one house or a movie night at the other.  And… well, I see things no one else sees.  I see the way my mom, Emma makes sure my mom always has her oil changed on time or how she checks in the garage to be sure there is plenty of salt for the walk before a big snow.  I see first-hand how my mom, Regina goes out of her way to get that one particular brand of root beer they only have at like three stores in Maine and nowhere in Storybrooke at all because Emma likes it or how she pretends to be interested in Dr. Who because Emma loves to watch it.”  Henry huffed and looked at his mother’s with pleading eyes.  “Please don’t be mad.  But… if that isn’t what love looks like, then I don’t know what it is.”

Emma and Regina again looked at each other and shared a small smile as Henry sat back down by his grandfather.  Snow resumed her place at the mic.

“Ok, well.  I think we have heard from enough of you today.  If you feel like you just need to get your story or explanation heard, please write it down and give it to Archie when you exit.  He will be sure it is delivered to them this week.”

Snow looked them to David for support for what was about to come next.  “But, before we go, there is one more thing.”

Emma noticed that no one was making any move to leave so she had a feeling whatever was about to happen was something only she and Regina were ignorant of.  She glanced at Regina who, for maybe the first time in years, honestly looked a little frightened.

“This is not open for discussion.  We have all agreed and you can like it or not, but you are going to do it.  We have all suffered for nearly five years while you two danced around the obvious and we can’t take it anymore.  We disagree and argue and even call each other enemies in this room but we are all united on this one thing.  You have got to figure this thing out and get your act together!”  Her voice rose as she spoke.  Clearly, this was a subject about which Snow had reached her limit. 

Taking a calming breath, she turned from the crowd to the two women on her left.  “You are going to leave here now, with David and he is going to drive you to Mifflin Street and you are both going to remain there for the next seven days whether you like it or not.  This is not up for discussion, as I said.  You are going to go in that house, and talk or fight or… I don’t know what, but you aren’t coming out until you are ready to… _come out!”_

 

**HOUSE ARREST**

The drive to Mifflin Street had been a quiet one.  The women, overloaded with new information and perhaps a little shell shocked by the confident and determined way Snow had addressed them, had willingly been led from the stage, out of Town Hall and to the deputies police cruiser. 

They were informed that some of Emma’s clothes and other necessities had been packed by her mother and dropped off at the mansion before the meeting.  Also, Henry had made an exacting grocery list and Jim, the owner of the store, had made sure everything was delivered and put away—free of charge—for the cause.  If either of them had been able to think, they would have worried about what Snow had packed or what their teenage son had thought was appropriate groceries for two women on house arrest (as it was being referred to).

David had escorted them both to the front door and then, in a move no one had seen coming, he hugged Emma _and_ Regina and wished them well before turning to go.  Regina went into the house, shaking her head in disbelief and Emma stood on the porch, watching her father drive away.  After he was far out of sight, she turned and went inside, locking the heavy white door behind her.

Regina was sitting on the top step from the foyer to the landing, her elbows on her knees, looking at her new, temporary house mate.  “Well.”

“Well is right.”  Emma said, stepping over and having a seat next to the brunette.

“I did not see that coming.”  Regina said, leaning over and dropping her head onto Emma’s shoulder.

“Me neither.  What good is magic if you can’t see the future?”  Emma glanced down at the head on her shoulder with a grin.

“I’m sure I don’t know.  But at least it lets me build us a fire without too much fuss.”  Regina grinned up at the woman beside her.  “So, shall we see what our son has left us for food this week?”

Regina stood and held out a hand, pulling Emma to her feet.  “Do you think we should discuss—“

“Not yet, Emma.  I’m still trying to process.”  Regina released her hand and slipped into the kitchen.

“Ok.  Right.  Let’s see what we got here.”

The two looked through the refrigerator, the pantry and several cupboards.  They laughed at some choices (lots of chips, frozen pizza and a box of fruit snacks) but others seemed quite savvy of the young man (makings for lasagna, fresh veggies, and several bottles of rather expensive wine).

“Well, at least we won’t starve.”  Emma smiled a crooked smile and leaned on the island.

“I suppose not.”  Regina leaned against the island beside the blonde.  “So… should we talk about that meeting now?”

Emma nodded.  “I guess that explains why everyone has been acting nuts the last few weeks, huh?”

“I guess.  Frankly I’m not surprised so much by Henry as I am by your parents.  I don’t call them the two idiots for nothing.”  Regina bumped Emma with her hip playfully.

“Hey!  That’s my mom and dad you’re mocking.”  Emma looked angry but her eyes sparkled revealing her intent.  She was teasing.

“Yes, dear.  I know they are but who knew they would catch on so quick.  It only took them two years.”  Regina turned toward the other woman and looped her arms around her waist.

“Two years, three months, seventeen days and…” Emma glanced at her watch as she mirrored Regina’s stance so they were now fully facing and in an embrace, “four hours.  But who’s counting?”

Regina smiled and laid her forehead against Emma’s shoulder.  “Well, I suppose the cat is out of the bag now, hmmm?”

“Yep.  Seems like.”  Emma said, pulling Regina tighter against her.  “But at least now we know how everyone will react.  And it appears no one is opposed… just as I told you two years, three months and sixteen days ago.”

“I know.  You did.  You were right.”  Regina shifted her head so her face was nestled against Emma’s neck.  “But we have no way of knowing for sure when they all got on board.  It may have been a disaster if we had told them back then.”

“Hang on.  I’m still trying to process that you just said I was right.  I may pass out.” The blonde giggled and Regina pulled back, giving her a swat on the arm.

“Cut it out.  You are right about a lot of things.  I just didn’t think this was one of them.  Besides, this was… is… too important to risk.  So I stand by my desire to keep it between us.  I’m just glad we won’t have to lie about it.  Do you know how hard it was to tell those people we were just friends?” Regina slipped free of the blonde’s grasp and pulled the fridge open again.  “Are you hungry?”

“Nah, not right now.  But I am curious.  Are we going to stay in here for a week and let them think they got us together?”  Emma stepped around the island, closer to the brunette.

Regina closed the door, causing a rush of cool air to drift across Emma’s skin.  But the goosebumps there were caused by the downright predatory gleam in the other woman’s eyes.  “Actually, I plan on taking advantage of the fact that I have you all to myself, without interruption and no sneaking off in the middle of the night for the next seven days.  In fact, if you are good, I may ask for an extension on our house arrest so we can ‘work some things out’ that need extra attention.”

Emma let herself melt into Regina’s embrace and kissed her as if they had all the time in the world because, in fact, they did.  “So, your plan is to make love and eat those groceries all week?”

Regina raised an eyebrow at her.  “Any complaints, Sheriff?”

“No ma’am.  Not one.”  Emma said with a broad smile.

“Good, then I think I will just head upstairs and draw us a nice, hot bath.  I hear someone gave you a… what was it?  A strenuous workout this weekend?  I can’t have your muscles all achy, now can I?”  With a delicious smirk and a naughty glint in her eyes, the woman slipped away and headed out the door with a sexy sway in her hips.  Emma watched spellbound as Regina stepped out of her heels at the bottom of the stairs, dropped her blouse midway up and stopped on the landing to shimmy free of her skirt.  Smiling down at the blonde in nothing but her underwear, the brunette’s deep, honeyed voice called, “Don’t keep me waiting, dear.”

Emma couldn’t help but chuckle darkly.  This woman would be the death of her.  “You are nothing but trouble, Mills.”

“Same to you, Swan.”

“But you love me for it.”

“Oh, yes.  Indeed I do.  I love you.”

Maybe one day they’d come clean with everyone about how long this had been going on… maybe.  But until then, they’d let them revel in the supposed success of their intervention.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Well... I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did. The songs I chose were very random. I had Pandora playing on a 70's station while I wrote and those songs were playing at or near the time I got to this part of the story so there is no magic to my madness, lol.
> 
> The first song is "You're in My Heart" by Rod Stewart because yes. Go look it up if you don't know it or even if you do. Great old tune.
> 
> The second song is "Magnet and Steel" by Walter Egan. Funny story. Egan had a major crush on Stevie Nicks (who I adore) and supposedly wrote the song for her but alas, she was too deeply embroiled in the soap opera that was late 70's Fleetwood Mac and they never got together romantically. They did however get together musically as Stevie sings back-up on this great old song.
> 
> Hope you enjoy them both. The 70's was a decade of some of the best music ever written. You can quote me on that.


End file.
